Exposure therapy for dog fear?

My four-year-old daughter is very afraid of dogs. I think it is because my uncle has a big, loud labrador and it knocked her over once when she was very little. I am worried because now she does not want to to go near dogs and we cannot visit people who have dogs. A friend looked online and said exposure therapy would help. Can you tell me more about it and how to do it?

Dog Fear in Dartmouth

Dear Dog Fear,

Exposure therapy is a type of treatment in which a person works with a therapist to examine the root of their fear while slowly increasing the person’s exposure to the feared object, initially through imaginal exposure and then in increasing levels of actual exposure. A quick example would be first saying the feared item out loud, then looking at pictures of the item, then increasing proximity to the actual item. It is very important that this type of treatment only be attempted by a trained, licensed professional as inappropriate exposure to a feared object can result in an increase in anxiety and even re-traumatize a person, resulting in further mental dysphoria. I suggest strongly that you contact a local mental health provider to begin work as soon as possible, as the longer a fear sticks around the more ingrained it becomes.

Got a question? Email me at ddepasquale@bellmentalhealth.com. All published responses will be anonymous. Want more Dawn? Check out her co-authored international bestseller, Share Your Message with the World, and her illustrated children’s book, Bats in the Belly, available on Amazon.com.

Disclaimer
The information in this article is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical or mental health condition, or contact Bell Mental Health Associates, LLC. to schedule an appointment. Dawn DePasquale, LMHC, and Bell Mental Health Associates, LLC, expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.

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Blog Author

Dawn DePasquale

Dawn DePasquale is a licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology through the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, a program approved by the American Psychological Association (APA). She has worked in ... Read Full